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Health Professions Education, Master's

See Program Details, Dates & Deadlines

Become the Future of Health Professions Education.

The MS in Health Professions Education provides the next generation of health professions faculty with advanced training in education. This 32-credit degree has two specializations: educational research and educational leadership. This program aims to provide students with the necessary tools to further develop interprofessional health profession courses and curricular design, research, and assessment skills. Learners will build on existing health professional competencies gained through their professional education. Topics such as educational theory and using educational research to advance knowledge in teaching and the learning in the health professions are core to this program. After the completion of this program, graduates will continue their careers with the tools necessary to adequately prepare students in the health professions for today's healthcare environment.

Details, Dates & Deadlines

Program Details

Class Format

Online

Program Length

24 months

Credits to Complete

32

Cost/Credit Hour

In State: $783
Out of State: $997

Online application 
$75 application fee 
Official transcripts 
300–500 word essay 
Proof of English language proficiency 
CV or resume
3 letters of recommendation

Dates & Deadlines

Fall Application Deadline: July 1

 

Information Sessions

Program Overview

The Master of Science in Health Professions Education (MS-HPE) is designed for health professionals who aspire to become leaders and innovators in teaching and curriculum development. This 2-year program offers advanced training tailored to the unique needs of health profession educators to build on their existing professional competencies while mastering curriculum design, interprofessional education, assessment strategies, and evidence-based teaching for making an immediate and lasting impact in health professions education. 

Program Structure 

The Health Professions Education master’s program will consist of eleven courses with a total of 32 credits. The MS-HPE is a fully online degree designed for full-time working professionals in healthcare, public health fields, and social work, as well as others who are integral to the healthcare education mission. 

Two Specializations for Your Goals  

Educational Research: Gain skills to design, conduct, and apply research that advances teaching and learning in health professions education. 

Educational Leadership: Develop strategies to lead programs, shape policy, and drive innovation in health professions education. 

The Value of Your Investment

Graduates leave with the confidence and skills to: 

  • Lead educational initiatives in academic and clinical settings 
  • Conduct meaningful research that informs best health profession education practices 
  • Prepare health professions students to meet the evolving healthcare needs of society 

  • The degree is designed for completion within two to three academic years, and its online format increases its accessibility to students. 
  • Participants can start the program in the fall term only.

At the conclusion of their study, students in the MS in HPE program will be able to:

  1. Articulate how people learn and the strategies that achieve effective learning processes and outcomes.
  2. Demonstrate proficiency in curriculum design, delivery, and evaluation.
  3. Demonstrate evidence-based teaching and assessment methods at the course or program level.
  4. Work effectively in interprofessional teams.
  5. Demonstrate the ability to apply analytical skills to improve educational programs and institutional effectiveness.
  6. Demonstrate the ability to formulate research questions and prepare a research prospectus using appropriate research methodologies. (Specialization: Educational Research)
  7. Demonstrate academic and executive-level administration and leadership skills needed to lead higher education programs, institutions, agencies, and organizations in the health professions. (Specialization: Educational Leadership)

As the demand for health professionals and health education programs continues to grow nationwide, so does the need for well-prepared health professions faculty who have advanced training in educational theory, instructional strategies in the health professions, and related assessment methods. The Health Professions Education curriculum is intentionally designed to formally prepare learners with the foundations needed to engage in educational scholarship, curricular design, assessment, program evaluation, and institutional leadership. The need for qualified healthcare professionals continues to grow, yet each year qualified applicants are turned away from training programs due to a lack of prepared faculty in these disciplines. An advanced degree in Health Professions Education can contribute to the development of faculty with the skills needed for evidence-based teaching, research, and service expected by the professoriate. 

Required Courses

  • HPE 610: Theoretical Foundations of Learning in the Health Professions (3 Credits) 
  • HPE 615: Foundations in Statistics for Social Sciences Research (3 Credits) 
  • HPE 620: Evaluation and Synthesis of Literature (3 Credits) 
  • HPE 625: Instructional Strategies in the Health Professions (3 Credits) 
  • HPE 660: Measurement, Assessment, and Evaluation (3 Credits) 
  • HPE 605: Curriculum Development and Analysis (3 Credits) 
  • HPE 800: Innovations in Health Professions Education (2 Credits) 
  • HPE 840: Educational Program Evaluation (3 Credits) 
  • HPE 870: Capstone in HPE (3 Credits) 

Elective Options by Specialization

Educational Research 

  • HPE 725: Qualitative Research Methods (3 Credits) 
  • HPE 760: Mixed Methods Research (3 Credits) 

Educational Leadership 

  • HPE 670: Leadership Theory (3 Credits) 
  • HPE 710: Leadership in Higher Education (3 Credits) 

See Course Descriptions

Admission Requirements

Upload your transcripts as a supplemental item to the online application. 

You must submit transcripts from each college/university attended, including coursework in progress at time of application.  Unofficial copies may be provided for the application review process.  
If you are offered admission, you must then provide official transcripts from each college/university from which a degree was earned.  The transcript must be provided to the Graduate School directly from the prior, degree-granting institution in a sealed envelope in order for that document to be considered official.  Alternatively, it may be provided to the Graduate School electronically by way of a secure, encrypted platform.  Each transcript should bear the signature of the registrar and the seal of the granting institution. 

Transcripts (US only) may be obtained from/provided by one of the following secure, encrypted transcript services:
https://www.parchment.com/ 
https://www.studentclearinghouse.org/solutions/ed-transcripts/
Send encrypted, electronic transcripts from your issuing institution to: gradapply@umaryland.edu 

If provided by mail, send official transcripts in sealed envelopes to:
ATTN: Admissions
University of Maryland School of Graduate Studies
620 West Lexington Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201-1508

Essay
Your essay must be uploaded as a supplemental item to the online application.  The statement should be between 300- to 500-words and should address your academic and/or professional career goals and objectives in pursuing graduate study.   

CV or Resume
A Curriculum Vitae (CV) or resume is required by most graduate programs.  Your CV or resume must be uploaded as part of the online application.

Letters of Recommendation
Applicants should provide three letters of recommendation from professors or others who can attest to the quality of your academic performance and scholastic potential.

English Language Proficiency (International Applicants Only)
The Graduate School accepts the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) or the Duolingo English Test as a measure of English proficiency.  Minimum required scores are 80 on the Internet-based TOEFL, 7.0 on the IELTS, and 115 on the DET. Scores must be sent directly from ETS (for TOEFL, use institution code #5848), the IELTS agency, or Duolingo to the Graduate School.

Application for in-state status classification
Maryland residents only.  If you wish to be considered for in-state residency status for admission and tuition purposes, you must complete an Application for In-State Classification and submit it to the campus classification officer within the Office of the Registrar.

If you have problems with or questions about the application process, please contact us at 410.706.7131 or gradapply@umaryland.edu 

Contact Us

Admissions

Nina Jackson
Admissions Counselor 
nina.jackson@umaryland.edu
410-706-6489

Academics

Karen Gordes, PhD, PT, DScPT
MS, HPE Teaching Certificate Program Director
karen.gordes@umaryland.edu

Meet Your Faculty

Our distinguished faculty, composed of accomplished scholars and experienced health care professionals, will guide your educational journey. Drawing from their expertise, they'll steer you through our comprehensive programs, preparing you for success in educational research and leadership roles in health professions education.

View Faculty Bios
As is true for most practitioners who ascend to academia, we come with a good deal of clinical experience and enthusiasm but very little training in education. When I discovered UMB was offering the MS in Health Professions Education, I jumped at the chance to enroll, and I'm so glad I did.
Mark D. Macek, D.D.S., Dr.P.H., M.S., F.I.C.D Assistant Dean for Curriculum Innovation and ScholarshipUniversity of Maryland School of Dentistry

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Baltimore, MD 21201
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